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You know what I like to see? Determination. There won't be a book made about any of our efforts. No primetime special. We won't get our fair share of press from most solid gaming sitess unless it's petition time. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe we should only get attention when we use our usual claim to fame. Fact is, this community wastes more of my time than most things in my life. As you can probably guess, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Most of us have or, at some point, had way too much free time on our hands. I don't think I could elaborate any further than that. Sure, the bulk of us are hardcore fans, but you don't just dedicate this much activity to something so miniscule; unless, of course, you had nothing better to do. I won't say some of us won't be successful. Heck, in this nerdy environment, we are bound to have a few prominent aces in the making. Why, I even have high hopes in becoming involved in local government. You aren't a true, blue EarthBound fan unless you are your own Pirkle, that's what I always say. Back to the topic at hand, nobody can predict what future any of us will have, but we are all getting older. Here's the kicker, despite the age, we still come to waste our time. You'd think a few of us would take up knitting, witchcraft, or whatever kids our age are doing these days. I really couldn't tell you because I haven't had a chance to find out due to the immense amount of time I've spent around these parts. By comparison, I haven't even been dedicated to the game or the community that long by some standards. What does it? What keeps the fingertips glued to the old keyboard to submit these ill-conceived pieces? Could it actually be to waste your time? Poetic justice. I can dig it.

Easy there, Keanu. Don't get all up in arms about how you feel what we are doing is of any sort of importance. Not until you accept the notion that every single one of our efforts could go completely fruitless. Sequels, Sunshine. Sequels. Is that why you are still here? Holding out for that big announcement? Awaiting that big celebration? Don't hold your breathe, buddy. Oh, and for the love of all things good and pure, don't think rumors will extend my life span. If I learned anything from the video game business, it's to be a skeptic. I'm well within my rights to think there will never be a sequel the same way I can get all elated about about a rumor hinting at one. It could be to reclaim that same old feeling we got when we first played the game, but by that logic, we'd be actually discussing the game much more. Then, there's the friendship/community aspect, but I never put much stock into that. Despite how we are united or how well we get along with each other, like you, I know plenty of people in real life I enjoy better that most of you. Are we all cordial, light-hearted peers? Sure. Friends? Maybe. A bizzare cult that should be joined at the hip? Don't rock the boat, Tito. We all have our own ideals. We also should stay committed to these ideals. In general, I don't have to agree with anything you say, either. It's called my given right of dissent. Look into it.

What's my point? we should take a good, long look in the mirror why we are all still staying around this place. Recently, I even see some staffers are apparently just hanging around to collect dust. I'm not finger pointing or even saying these folks don't have the best of intentions, but they never looked that deeply into themselves. They merely let things float away into an idle funk in point of no return, or they got in well over their heads. The heart was still there. The will, however, was not. Maybe negative behavior breeds some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. Perhaps the faith is missplaced and the message is lost. You know the message. That tiny little guy upstairs that says, "I like EarthBound. I want to help." You'd think he'd be evicted by now.

I'm not here to make promises. I'm not even here to analyze or make generalizations about all of us. I'm here to clear to cobwebs to put things in perspective. When we aren't bringing the funk, we're bringing the love. Love for the underdog. We are here to educate just about anyone willing to listen. I wouldn't call playing EarthBound a rare experience, but it was certainly something I'd want to see become successful because it was so danged solid. Years ago, I let three of my closest SNES-favoring friends play my copy of EarthBound. Not one of them liked it. Two of them weren't RPG fans, and the other guy stopped at Deep Darkness because it just wasn't a contender compared to his Final Fantasy games. I never liked that kid, anyways. My point is, like this very site, I wanted to spread the word about EarthBound. I wanted to create a mini, manly grassroots community of local EarthBound fans that I knew and would be able to talk to daily. Not only did I fail, but I got a few weird looks when my friends returned the game. I was in fourth grade.

I'm currently a junior in high school. Almost seventeen years old, I finally have my outlet. I certainly don't get to see members of the community on a daily basis in person, but you are there. You are all there. If the latest petition is any indication, we also got our grassroots appeal as well. We'll hit the streets. We'll ask around. Oh, and you better believe we'll bug magazines and web sites. Like it or not, we already have our recognition. If we ever had a purpose as it pretains to this game, we served it. From the boldest webmaster to the lowliest article writer, we got it done. Pat yourself on the back and wonder something. Wonder how much gas you still have in the tank. It's been a sweet ride so far, but things, they just get sweeter. We're just living the dream.

Other Submissions by MikeTheEBGuru

A few years after the War Against Giygas, Everdred begins a new life as a private investigator. His first case leads him and his partner Shaft to Onett, where Everdred's old friend Ness reports crime is back on the rise.